Hayao Miyazaki Retires From Filmmaking

72-year-old Hayao Miyazaki, one of the most influential filmmakers in animation, is retiring from writing/directing feature-length films.

Studio Ghibli President Koji Hoshino revealed the news today at a press conference at the Venice Film Festival where Miyazaki's latest effort "The Wind Rises," what will now be considered his final feature, premiered to stellar reviews this weekend.

The phrasing sounds very specific meaning Miyazaki, co-founder of Studio Ghibli, could do short works in the future.

Miyazaki has directed eleven animated features over the past 34 years, all of which have received wide acclaim. He's responsible for such treasured works as "Spirited Away," "Princess Mononoke," "My Neighbor Totoro," "Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind," "Castle in the Sky," "Howl's Moving Castle," "Ponyo," "Kiki's Delivery Service," "Porco Rosso," and "Lupin III: The Castle of Cagliostro "